Means for connecting wires.



Patented- Apr; 3 I900; I

6 H. n. L AMB & v. HOXIE.

MEANS FOR CONNECTING WIRES.

' (Application filed Aug. 25, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I,

(no Model.)

Tg zgfors enema 170516 II I.

Wiixjccsscs WW 1 9' *b mm No. 646,436. P atentad Apr. 3, i900.-

- H. R. LAMB & v. HOXIE.

MEANS FOR CONNECTING WIRES.

(Applicatiqn filed Aug 25, 189

No. 646,436. Patented Apr. 3, I900.

H. R. LAMB &. V. HUXIE.

MEANS FOR CONNECTING WIRES.

(Applicati an filed Aug. 95, 1899.) (No Model.) s Sheets$heei s.

mum uwul "Nil 1 y 01 air QAilIOPI Z IwIY/EOW UNrrn ,TATES l'IIRAM It. LAMB AND VERNON I'IQXIE, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO THE LAMB \VIRE FENCE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MEANS FOF CONNECTING WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed August 25, 1899.

T ctZZ whom it may concern.- Be it known that we, HIRAM R. LAMB and VERNON HOXIE, citizens of the United States, residing at Adrian, in the county of Lenawee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Means for Connecting Wires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of wire fabrics embodying a series of wires IO extending in one direction and to which other wires are arranged at an angle at predetermined intervals, and particularly to the formation of intersecting crimps and the application of ties, which is accomplished in part by extraneous preparation, the feed and pres sure of a plunger, and coinciding dies of a particular character.

The principal object sought and materialized is the feeding of predetermined lengths of tie-wire Without any positive shape to dies holding other wires arranged at an angle in correlative position and crimped therebetween and by continued pressure cause said lengths to move over and around portions of the wires theyare to connect andproduce a firm joint.

A further object of the invention is to firmly hold the wires disposed at an angle and crimp them at the point of intersection and apply ties thereto in such manner that they will be disposed in curved relation to and lie over opposite portions of the said wires at their point of intersection and avoid any particu-, lar initial preparation as to shape or contour of the ties by exerting on the latter a forceful pressure to produce a threading of the same while confined within a limited area.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate the application of ties to the intersecting portions of crossing wires and to insure a firm union of the several wires at the joints, thereby saving time in the operation of producing a wire fabric and effecting economy inthe manufacture of the same by materially increasing the productive capacity and speed of operation of a machine for this purpose. v

The invention consists, primarily, structurally considered, of coinciding dies having working faces provided with seat-grooves at an angle to each other to accommodate crosswires and each die having also semispiral Patent No. 646,436, dated April 3, 1906.

Serial No. 728,480. (No model.)

of both dies and be positioned thereby in oppositely-inclined directions across the joint between the cross-wires.

The invention further consists of the combination of a pair of dies having coinciding working faces with seat-grooves to receive cross-wires and tie-wire grooves employed with a plunger for feeding and exerting a pressure upon straight lengths of wire and for driving the latter through the tie-wire 7o grooves in alternation over opposite portions of the cross-Wires. v

The invention further consists of a pair of dies having coinciding working faces with seat-grooves therein to receive and hold crosswiresand also provided with tie-wire grooves combined with a plungermoving into the dies in a plane relative to their working faces and adapted to feed to the tie-Wire grooves straight lengths of tie-wires and alternately thread and force them over and around opposite portions of the cross-Wires. l

The invention further consists of other construct-ions, arrangements, and combinations of parts, which will be more fully hereinafter A described and claimed.

The invention is practically disclosed in the different forms embodied inthe accompanying drawings; but it will be understood that these are susceptible to further change, and 0 it is the intent and purpose of the invention to include all variations that fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of dies, showing in dottedlines aplunger in working relation thereto, and all'embodying the features of'the invention. Fig.2,is'a plan view of the prime-die. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 4-. is an end elevation of the adjacentend of the die. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 00 m, Fig. 2. Fig. 6

is a section on the line yy, Fig. 2. Fig. 7isa top plan view of the companion die. Fig. Sis ais a diagrammatic view of the Working faces of the dies, showing the relativeposition of the grooves when said faces are in coincidence. Fig. 14 is a top plan view of a portion of crosswires connected by the tie as arranged by the dies. Fig. 15 is a top plan view of another form of prime-die. Fig. 16 is a left end elevation of the die shown by Fig. 15. is a right end elevation of the die shown by Fig. 15. Fig. 18 is a section on the line a a, Fig. 15. Fig. 19 is a section on the line bb, Fig. 15. Fig. 20 is a top plan view of a companion die for that shown by Fig. 15. Fig. 21'

is an end elevation of the die shown by Fig. 20. Fig. 22 is a cross-section through the center of the die shown by Fig. 20 and on the line 0 c. Fig. 23 is a cross-section through the die shown by Fig. 20 on the line (I (Z. Fig. 24 is a top plan view of portions of cross-Wires and a tie-wire thereon as arranged by the dies shown by Figs. 15 and 20. Fig. 25 is a diagrammatic view of the working faces of the dies shown by Figs. 15 and 20 and illustrating the position of the grooves therein.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The coacting dies, as shown by Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, are designated by the numerals 1 and 2 and are adapted to be mounted in a machine for movement toward and from each othersimultaneously,orsubstantiallyso. The operation of these dies is not dependent on any particular form of machine, and conjointly coacting therewith is a plunger 3, having a particular construction and operable by any suitable mechanism.

The die 1 or prime-die is provided with coneaved or semicircular seat-grooves 4 and 5, running across its face through its center at angles to each other, and extending diagonally across and deeper than the groove 5 are two tie-wire grooves 6 and 7, and also a halfdiagonal tiewire groove Sis formed adjacent a part of the said groove 5. Extending diagonally across one corner of the said die 1 is a channel 9, which is deeper than the groove 5 to a degree equal to the thickness of the plunger, and into which the outer part of the half-groove 8 merges and from thence extends at an angle to the plane of the working face of the die. The grooves 6 and 7 are deeper than the groove 5 to an extent equal to the size of the tire-wire, and the channel 9 is wider at the end adjacent the half-groove 8 to receive the tie-wire and plunger together in a manner which will be more fully hereinafter explained.

The die 2 has seat'grooves 4" and 5 therein, which are similar to the grooves 4 and 5 in Fig. 17.

the die 1, except that the groove 5 is deeper at the center, as shown at 10, Figs. 8 and 9. The groove 5 of the die 2 has tie-grooves 11 and 12 in the direction thereof, which are similar to the grooves 6 and 7 in the die 1, but difierently located for disposition over adjacent points intermediate of the grooves 6, 7, and 8-when the working faces of the dies coincide. Extending diagonally across one corner of the die 2 is a flat rib 13, intersected by the outer extremity of the groove 5 at this point and adapted to be fitted in the chan nel 9 to take up the diiference of the depth of said channel relatively to the several grooves and maintain the plunger 3 in close working position to effectively insert the tie- Wire.

The die 1 is provided with dowel-pins 14, and the companion die 2 has holes 15 therein to receive the said dowel-pins when the dies are brought face to face, and in this arrangement the rib 13 will coincide with and partially fill the channel 9, as before indicated. When the dies come together, the grooves 4 and 5,coincide or register with the grooves 4 and 5, respectively, in the dies 1 and 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 13, the inner terminal of the half-groove 8 being adjacent the outer terminal of the tie-groove 11, and the opposite terminal of the latter is disposed in operative relation to the terminal of the groove 7 nearest the groove 8. The inner terminal of the groove 12 will at this time be over or adjacent to the terminal of the groove 7 nearest the groove 6, and the outer terminal of said groove 12 will stand close to the inner terminal of the groove 6. From this arrangement it will be observed that the tie-wire grooves are disposed in alternation partially in each die-face in the direction of the grooves 5 and 5. By this means also a lead or guide for the entering end of the tie-wire is provided over opposite portions of the angularlydisposed cross-wires. cross-wires 16 and 17, as shown by Fig. 14, are held between the dies, with the wire 16 lying next to the prime-die .or die 1 and the wire 17 next to the companion die 2 and so that said wires will lie half and half, respectively, in the'seat-grooves 4 and 5 and 4 and 5, with the central part of the wire 16 entirely in the deeper portion 10 of the groove 5 at the center, the pressure of the dies will crimp the cross-wires at the center and also hold them firmly against movement and in condition for the reception of the tie-wires. The plunger 3 is next brought into operative position relative to the mouth of the channel 9 and moves diagonally of the dies, one end having a side recess or seat 18 of a depth equal to the thickness of the length of tiewire 19, which is inserted in said recess and moved endwise by the p1nnger3, through the half-groove 8, over the adjacent portion of the wire 16, and then through the groove 11, around said wire and through the groove 7, over the point of intersection of the crosswires and the crimp-joint, and again around the wire 16, through the groove 12, and finally through the groove (5 over the said latter wire. When this operation shall have been completed, the tie will be wrapped around the cross-wires in elongated spiral form and bear upon a greater extent of the wire 16 than the wire 17 and constitute a firm lock or jointnre of the said cross-wires.

A diiferent form of the die is shown by Figs. 15 to 23, inclusive, in which substantially the same operation is pursued as in the preceding form and wherein the tie-wire is given a slightly-different spiral contour when applied. The dies 20 and 21 are intended to be somewhat similar in construction to the dies 1 and 2 heretofore described, and extending centrally across the face of the die 20 is a seat-groove 22, intersected bya transversely-arranged central channel 23, the opposite inner terminals of the interrupted groove 22 being graduallyinclined toward the side marginal edgesof the said channel 23.

Extending across the die 20, parallel with one side edge, is a plunger-channel 24, which is widened at one extremity a distance equal to the thickness or gage of the tie-wire and into which merges the outer portion of a tiewire groove 25, extending inwardly .close to the part of the seat-groove to the left of the center of the die. The inner terminal of the said groove 25 also inclines toward the adjacent groove 22, and on the opposite side of the latter and outside of the adjacent end of the central channel 23 a distinct segmen tallycurved tie-wire groove 26 is located, which has both its terminals slanted in the direction of the opposite parts of said seat-groove 22 and is in closer to the center of the die than the groove 25. Around the opposite terminal of the channel 23 and between the latter, the groove 25, and the adjacent marginal wall of the channel 24 a shorter segmental tie-wire groove 27 is formed and is closer to the center of the die than the groove 26. The terminal of the groove 27 nearest the right-hand part of the seat-groove 22 inclines outwardly, and the opposite terminal of said groove is of such shape as to seat the inner end of the threaded tie-wire when the operation of applying the said tie-wire has been completed. The die 20 has dowel-pins or analogous devices 28 proj ectin g therefrom and adapted to interlock or coincide with openings 29, formed in the companion die 2i. This latter die is also pro- Vided with a seat-groove 30, arranged at an angle to the groove 22 of the die 20 and interrupted at the center by a short channel 31, extending in a plane at right angles thereto and also to the channel 23 of the die 20. Around opposite extremities of the channel 31 are segmental tie-wire grooves 32 and 33, struck from different centers, the groove 33 being shorter than the groove '32 and the terminals of both grooves leading toward the adjacent longitudinal marginal edges of the groove 30. Both of the channels 23 and 31 26, 27, and 25.

have considerable concaved depth, as shown by Figs. 18 and 22, thus giving a gradual outward inclination to the opposite terminals thereof. When the dies 20 and 21 are brought together in coinciding or Working position,

the said grooves 22 and 30 are at an angle to each otherin the present instance a right angler The channels 23 and 31 will be likewise positioned, and the several tie wire grooves will be disposed in continued relation or so that portions of opposite terminals or extremities of each will be respectively over and under similar parts of the others. This is clearly shown in Fig. 25, and to closely follow the correlative position and to determine their operative continuity for the purpose of alternately feeding the tie-wire above and below opposite portions of the cross-wires it will be observed that the one extremity of the tie-Wire groove 32 in the die 21 is brought over a greater portion of the tie-wire groove 25 of the die 20, the said groove 32 extending over the adjacent partof the seat-groove 22 in the die 20 and over the one extremity of the groove 26 in said die 20. The groove 33 of the die 21 also operatively connects the opposite extremity of the groove 26 with the inner portion of the groove 27, thus providing amold or means for forming what maybe termed a flat spiral, as shown by Fig. 24. When the said dies are brought together, the cross-wires 3t and 35, as shown by Fig. 22%, will be so positioned that the wire 34 will lie in the seat-groove 22 of the die 20and the wire .35 in the seat-groove 30 of the die 21, and through the medium of the channels 23 and 31 both wires 34 and 35 will be crimped at the crossing as soon as the working faces of the dies are brought together and said cross-wires be firmly held against movement. When the cross-wires 3a and 35 are held, between the dies, the wire 3t extends transversely across or over the grooves 32 and 33 and the wire 35 is over and intersects portions of the grooves A plunger similar to that heretofore described is employed for feeding straight lengths of tie-wires to the dies 20 and 21, and the tie-wire length is first threaded into the entrance end of the groove 25 under the adjacent part of the wire 35 and, follow ing through said groove,is directed into groove 32 of die 21 and over the wire 34 and also into the groove 26 and again under the wire 35 on the opposite side of the crimped centers of said wires and considered as the Wires are positioned in Fig. 24:. The said tie-wire is then moved along through the grooves 26, 33, and 27 in alternation until it is again over the wire 34 in approximately the same planeas before, and finally'the extremity is drawn over the wire 35, where both extremities of the tie-wire will be located, thus closely joining the crimped portions of the cross-wires and exerting a locking tension thereon sufficient to resist disconnection under ordinary strain or use. I

By forming a recess in one side of the plun- IIO desired result.

ger 3 an inner abrupt shoulder is provided, as clearlyshown,against which the outer extremity of the tie-wire is held during the operation of insert-ion between the dies in either form. It will beseen also that the tie-wires are inserted in bothinstances in the plane of thesupport of the cross-wires, which will reduce the resistance of practically applying the tire-wires to thecross-wires to a minimum. When the tie-wires have been completely fed into thedies and threaded over the crosswires, the parts of the tie-wire will closely bear against the traversed portions of the cross-wires and produce a firm lock without making a material surface projection, and whenthe plunger is fully inserted the tiewire that has been fed into the dies therewith will have reached its full-tie position relativelyto the cross-wires and be disposed regularlyagainst opposite points of the latter. Thetie-wire will always be fed into the dies in accurate position or alinement to the tiewiregroove into which it is initially fed by reason of the fact that the recess 18 in one side or free extremity of the plunger is just deep enough to cause the tie-wire to lieflush with the adjacent edge of the body of the plunger, and the narrow extremity of the latter,lwhich is formed by the said recess, snugly fits the channel therefor in either instance and precisely directs the inner end of the tiewire into the first tie wire groove which merges into said channel. The tie-wire as fed inwardly intothedies willalso be prevented from bending by being held closely between the wall of the widened portion of each channel and the edge of the plunger forming the wall for the recess, and though the tie-wire is longer than the distance between the entrance end of the channel for the plunger and the mouth of the initial tie-wire groove the retention of said tie-wire betweenthe plunger and wall of the widened portion of the channel for the latter will insure a straight feed of said tie-wire. Furthermore, it will be observed in the diagrammatic views thatthe semispiral grooves in each of the forms of coinciding dies illustrated extend over portions ofeach other when the die-faces are brought together in working position to serve as leading means for the inwardly-fed tie-wire and prevent retardation of the same or an obstruction to a free bend to guard against a jam or the least interruption to asteady inward movement of the plunger. These overextending portions of the several-tie-wire grooves in alternation in the opposite diefaces will be located adjacent the points of traverse through the dies of the cross-Wires and facilitate the disposition of the tie-wires around opposite portions of the lengths of said cross-wires adjacent their point of intersection. These advantages are particularly important in view of the primal condition of the tie-wires when fed into the dies and are eifectively conducive to the attainment ofthe For tliepa'rticular operation of the dies it is immaterial as to the position of their faces,

provided the said faces are closely and graduallybrought together, and may be arranged either horizon-tally, vertically, or obliquely,- and in'accordancewith the operating mechanism one or more of the sets of dies can be used in a machine andthe angle of the crosswires can also be varied without materially modifying the several grooves and as far as they embody structural features for feeding and receiving a straight tie-wire lengthvproportioned to the several tie-wire grooves.-

The direction of movement of thetie-wires around the cross-wires -is not essential and maybe reversed andcorre'spond with the position of the die, and 'though in the foregoing description a particular movement over and under or around has been explained for the purposeo'f practically disclosing the invention, yet it is not to be understood that this precise position of the parts is necessary. The tie-wires will be cut into necessary lengths and held in convenient position for rapid in= dividual feed, and the gage of the said tiewires will correspond relatively to that of the cross-wires.

From the preceding disclosure it will be seen that the dies are constructed for the simultaneous feeding and proper positioning of straight lengths of tie wires, which after the dies are closed or brought together are bent or twisted around the cross-wires on opposite sides of the intersection thereof by means of a plunger exerting a pressure longi tudinallythereof, thus providing for the union of cross-wires disposed at any angle.

Changes may be made in the form of some of the parts while their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention embodied. Hence it is not desired to limit the invention to'the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

In our pending application, Serial No. 728,479, filed on even dateherewith, the claims cover a die having -a plunger movable thereinto in a plane at an .angle to the working faces of the dies, a close arrangementof the tie-wire grooves intersecting the grooves for Wires to be connected and other specific provisions, and we do not claim such construction and arrangement of parts in this application.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asnew is- 1. Coinciding dies having seat and tie-wire grooves therein in opposite relation, and a plunger movable into the dies and adapted to force a straight length of tie-wire endwise into the dies through-a part of the grooves and around cross-wires held by said dies.

2. Ooinciding dies having correlative grooves in contiguousfaces, and adapted to hold crosswires therebetween, and a plunger movable into the said dies and having a tie-wire seat therein, and adapted to receive a straight tiewire length in the seat thereof and force it endwise into the dies and around the crosswires held by the latter. 7

3. Ooinciding dies, having seat-grooves in the contiguous faces thereof to hold crosswires therebetween, and semispiral grooves disposed in relation to said seat-grooves, and a plunger having a tie-wire seat therein and adapted to feed a straight tie-wire length endwise into the die and around the cross-wires.

4. Ooinciding dies having grooves in the contiguous faces thereof for holding wires disposed at an angle and applying a tie-wire thereto, and a plunger movableinto the said dies, and adapted to feed a straight tie-wire to a part of the said grooves.

5. Ooinciding dies having contiguous grooved faces adapted to hold cross-wires at an angle and apply a tie-wire, and a plunger having a seat and movable into said dies, and adapted to feed a length of tie-wire having a thickness sufficient to accurately direct it into a part of the grooves by holding the plunger in steady operative relation to the channel of the latter.

6. A pair of dies having coinciding grooves in the working faces thereof in alternate arrangement and also provided with a channel,

. and a plunger having a reduced extremity and adapted to feed a length of tie-wire into the dies the said tie-wire having a thickness sufficient to compensate for the variation in width between the reduced extremity of the plunger and the channel for the latter.

7. A pair of dies having working faces provided with grooves at an angle to each other for holding cross-wires therebetween and also formed with semispiral grooves in alternate position in each, and a plunger movable into the dies, and adapted to feed a straight length of tie-wire into the dies and thread the same in spiral form by the semispiral grooves around the cross-wires.

8. A pair of dies having coinciding grooved working faces adapted to hold Wires at an an gle, a channel also being provided therein and having communication with one of the grooves, and a plunger movable in the said channel, and adapted to force a straight length of tie-wire into the dies and regularly bend the same by movement through a portion of the said grooves around the angularly-disposed wires.

9. A pair of dies having coincidinggrooved working faces adapted to hold wires at an angle between them, a part of said grooves being in alternate position in the opposite faces and producing when joined a spiral former, and a plunger movable into the dies, and adapted to feed a straight length of tie-wire into the spiral former around the angularlydisposed wires.

10. A pair of dies having coinciding faces with grooves to hold an g ularly-disposed wires and apply a tie-wire around said angularlydisposed wires, and means for feeding a straight tie-wire into the said dies.

11. A pair of dies having coinciding'workin g faces provided with aplurality of grooves adapted to be disposed in intimate relation and hold angularly-disposed wires therebetween and produce a spiral former for a tiewire, and means for feeding a straight length of tie-wire into the said dies.

12. A pair of dies having coinciding workin g faces with grooves therein and adapted to hold angularly-disposed wires therebetween, and a plunger movable into the dies in aplane parallel with the said faces thereof, and adapted to feed a straight length of tie-wire into the said dies.

13. A pair of dies having coinciding working faces provided with grooves adapted in part to hold angularly-disposed wires and also produce a spiral former, the said dies having a plunger-channel with awidened portion communicating with a part of the said former, and a plunger movable in the channel and having an extremity of less width than the widest portion of the channel, and adapted to feed therewith into the channel a tie-wire length, the said tie-wire adding to the width of the reduced extremity of said plunger the difference in width between the same and the widest portion of the'channel.

14. Ooinciding dieshaving means for holding cross-wires at an angle to each other, and also provided with a tie-wire former adapted to receive and have one end of a straight length of wire initially fed thereinto in advance of the opposite end.

15. Ooinciding dies having means for holding cross-wires and a tie-wire former, and means for feeding one end of a tie-wire into said dies in advance of the opposite end.

16. Devices having means for holding wires at an angle and a tie-wire former, and means for feeding a straight length of tie-wire to the said former. Y

17. A support and holding means forangularly-disposed wires, and means for spirally threading a straight tie wire around said wires.

18. Atie-wireguide for holding fabric-wires to be connected, and means for feeding a tiewire thereto in the plane of and around the said fabric-wires.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM R. LAMB. VERNON HOXIE. 

